Parimutuel horse racing has been approved by the governments of a majority of the states. It has been found that it is a very effective way for the states to raise revenue through receiving a percentage of the total amount of money wagered by the public on the horse races.
Until recently, public attendance at the horse races had been generally on the rise. With the legalization of simulcasting (i.e. the broadcasting of the races as they are run to a location, other than the race track, allowing wagering by the public) and the establishment of lotteries in states where parimutuel horse racing already exists, however, attendance at the race track has significantly declined. Accordingly, a need exists for a promotional activity which will again bring the public to the race tracks in increasing numbers.
In order to achieve this end, a number of race tracks utilize special days wherein patrons attending the races are given gifts such as caps or rain slickers. Additionally, patrons may be given an opportunity to win a larger prize such as a car or dream vacation through a drawing from the names of the patrons attending the races.
The shortcoming of these type of promotional activities relates to the fact that they do not in any way increase the betting knowledge and interest of the public attending the races. This is a critical factor in developing and expanding a core segment of the public who will return regularly to the race track.